Real Betis vs Valencia – The 2022 Copa del Rey final will be held on Saturday evening at the Estadio La Cartuja, with Real Betis against Valencia, who have won the competition eight times.
Real Betis advanced to the final by defeating Rayo Vallecano 3-2 on aggregate in the tournament’s semi-finals, while Valencia advanced by defeating Athletic Bilbao 2-1 over two legs.
Real Betis has only won the Copa del Rey twice before, in 1977 and 2005, and has finished second on two other times, in 1931 and 1997.
As a result, winning the championship would be a significant accomplishment for the Green and Whites, who beat CFI Alicante, Talavera, and Real Valladolid in the early rounds of this season’s event before defeating Sevilla and Real Sociedad in the semi-finals. Real Betis won 2-1 in the first leg of their semi-final against Rayo Vallecano, and a 1-1 draw in the second leg of their last-four match was enough to advance.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side might have a memorable season, as they are presently fighting for a top-four spot in La Liga, lying fifth in the table, three points behind fourth-placed Real Madrid. Sevilla, who were chasing a top-four finish in the top level for the first time since 2005, were defeated 1-0 at home by Elche on Tuesday night. Valencia defeated Real Betis 4-1 in La Liga earlier this season, but Los Che have won three of the last four Copa del Rey meetings between the two sides.
Valencia, meanwhile, will be coming off consecutive La Liga losses to Osasuna and Villarreal, which have dropped them to 10th place in Spain’s top division.
Jose Bordalas’ side have beaten Utrillas, Arenteiro, FC Cartagena, Atletico Baleares, Cadiz, and Athletic Bilbao to reach the final, and they will hope that their greater experience in reaching the latter stages of this competition will stand them in good stead. Los Che have won the Copa del Rey eight times, most recently in 2019, when they defeated Barcelona 2-1 in the final in Seville.
Valencia are well-positioned to improve on their disappointing 13th-place finish in Spain’s top flight last season, and a top-half finish combined with Copa del Rey win would have to be considered a good campaign. The six-time Spanish champions are still a long way from being a top-four contender, and it’s tough to see them closing the gap with their present roster, especially given the need for summer investment.
Real Betis vs Valencia – Betting Analysis
Both teams will be confident heading into this game, and we anticipate a close game on Saturday night. Extra time and possibly penalties are likely, but we predict Real Betis will be able to win it in regular time and capture the cup for only the third time in their history.
Real Betis vs Valencia – Head to head
Our Predictions: Home to Win
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